- Jobseeking is Hard
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- #132 - Rewriting Your Career Story
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Hey There!
Welcome to Issue #132 of Jobseeking is Hard!
Today's issue is brought to you by The Rundown AI! If you're a free subscriber and value our content, support us by checking out the service. Show our sponsor some love for supporting Jobseeking is Hard! Thanks!
This week we’re talking about:
Stupid interview questions
A jobseeking horror story about a job interview that led to a household ban
How to rewrite your resume so it supports a career pivot
The best (worst?) job posting of the week
And for Premium subscribers I’m:
Debunking whether backing out of a job offer really burns bridges
Giving you tips on how to choose the right person to send your resume to (even when the job post is generic)
Telling you why customizing your resume isn’t the same as rewriting it every time
Answering a Premium subscriber's question about being qualified for multiple roles. I’ll explain how to focus your message without limiting your options.
Let’s get to it! But first…
As a special thank you for Premium subscribers, I’m offering another exclusive $50 discount on Karpiak Consulting’s career services! From now until May 20, you can use your coupon code on everything except Mini Resume Reviews and gift cards.
You can find your exclusive coupon code below in the Premium section!
Terms & Conditions: This discount is only for active Premium subscribers and cannot be shared, transferred, or applied retroactively. It is not valid on any previous purchases, including services that have already been purchased but not yet completed.
Take advantage of this offer while it lasts!
Not a Premium subscriber? Upgrade here!
Why upgrade?
Extra Tips & Advice: Gain exclusive insights, strategies, and advice from a recruiter with over 20 years of experience in the field. Discover what hiring managers truly value and how to stand out at every step of your job search.
Access to Previous Issues: Explore a library of knowledge with all 100+ past issues of the newsletter. Each edition is packed with proven strategies, practical advice, and real-world jobseeking stories to give you an edge in today’s competitive job market. From resume tips to handling tough interview questions, you’ll find answers to every challenge.
Exclusive Q&A: Have questions about your job search? Premium subscribers can ask Adam directly! Questions will be featured in upcoming issues, with detailed answers tailored to real-world scenarios, ensuring you get the guidance you need.
Bonus Content: As part of your Premium subscription, you’ll receive 20 additional job search tips delivered to your inbox over the next 20 days. This includes advice on avoiding common mistakes and maximizing your job search strategy to land interviews faster.
STUPID INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
"What is something you think you're good at but you're actually bad at?"
“If you were a medication, what would you be and why?”
Side effects may include:
Chronic eye-rolling during meetings that could've been emails.
Mild to severe allergic reactions to micromanagement.
Dramatic sighing when someone says, "Let's circle back."
Increased irritability to co-workers unnecessarily clicking "reply all."
I was asked if I was a lover or a fighter. I just want a job man, what’s with the games??
I feel like that's a trick question…HR isn't ok with either of those.
Now I’m curious…
Are you a lover or a fighter? |
Want to share your stupid interview questions? Reply or email [email protected]
SPEAKING OF POLLS
Last issue, I asked you, “Cheez-Its or Goldfish?” 60% of you inexplicably wanted the Cheez-Its 🤢
Some of the best responses:
"I prefer my snacks to not taste like someone sprinkled nutritional yeast on cardboard, thank you very much."
"Cheez-Its, because goldfish snacking makes you look like you're 5."
"I don't like it when my snack smiles back."
But my favorite was:
“I need my sodium with extra whimsy, thanks."
I agree. That's why both Brad Pitt and I love our Pringles!
(Yes, that's Brad Pitt in a Pringles commercial from 1986. You can watch the whole thing here.)
COMMUNITY CATHARSIS
For my final interview with a major company, I was asked to create a sample project to train a new hire class on a specific class of the employer’s products.
I had no knowledge of these products or how some of them worked, nor did they give me any materials to research their products. They gave me no parameters of the audience they wanted me to train to.
I put together a high-level overview based on what I could find online.
When presenting to a group of managers, I level set that I have designed a presentation targeted to a group of new hires with no previous knowledge of the products since that would be my usual audience in the role I was interviewing for.
When they gave me feedback, I was told that I didn’t seem to grasp that the audience was a group of leaders even though I was given no guidelines. I specifically said I designed my presentation to the audience I would be training in the role.
As I thought back on the interview, it seemed that they just wanted different ideas from someone from a different organization, as they repeatedly pumped me for information on my current employer’s training processes during the presentation and interview.
You’d be shocked to hear the name of the Company that did this to me. My husband is super mad at me because I’ve banned their products from our house, and he really wants one of them.
Wow...this one checks all the boxes:
✅ Vague assignment
✅ No resources provided
✅ Shifting expectations
✅ Intellectual theft
✅ Making you feel like you were the problem
And of course, during the "interview," they were eager to hear about your current company's training programs. Totally unrelated, I'm sure.
You weren't evaluated. You were mined for ideas.
Tell your husband I'm with you on this one.
Subscribers…
Has anything like this ever happened to you? |
If there's a jobseeking horror story *you’d* like to share, reply or email [email protected]
SHAMELESS PLUG
If your job search needs a little more help, Karpiak Consulting offers resume and LinkedIn services, as well as job search strategy coaching.
Who knows…maybe you’ll find it “incredibly valuable” and exactly what you need like this client 🤷♂️
So how did I help this 2X Comprehensive Resume Review client go from unclear positioning to a more compelling story that supports a career pivot?
Controlling the narrative.
The original resume didn't look like someone ready for their next chapter. It listed plenty of responsibilities, but they were buried in a structure that didn't reflect the level of work being done or the direction they were headed. Worse, transferable skills were mentioned vaguely, without real framing.
If your resume looks backward, not forward, you need to shift the narrative.
How?
Reorganize the experience bullet points and focus on skills, not industry.
When you're aiming higher or pivoting into a new function, your resume has to lead with the strongest proof that you're ready. That means making your "big picture" work...the strategy, the cross-functional execution, the measurable outcomes...the first thing someone sees.
The phrasing matters too. "Assisted with" and "participated in" have to go. Those phrases make hiring managers do too much work to figure out what you actually owned. Skills are skills, regardless of industry, so revise each bullet point to make your contributions clear.
When you're pivoting, that clarity matters. You're asking someone to imagine you in a new role...and it's your job to make it easy for them to see the fit, so get rid of anything industry-specific or skills that aren't mentioned in the job posting.
Most important to pivots? Industry translation.
When trying to pivot, you have to reframe your skills through a wider lens. The trick is not just saying how you used the tools or solved problems in your old world...it's showing how those skills apply across the board. That's why it's critical to study the job postings you're aiming for and talk about those skills directly. If they're asking for process improvement, leadership, or systems thinking...show them that. Not in a way that sounds tied to one domain...but in a way that makes it feel universal.
At the end of the day, a resume that rehashes the past isn't going to open new doors.
Reframe your story and reshape the content to show the reader who you are, what youve done, and what you can do...in any industry.
If you’re feeling like your resume isn’t telling your story the way it should and don’t know how to frame your experience, our services can help.
BEST (WORST?) JOB POST
OF THE WEEK
Here’s the job post that got the most people talking on my Instagram this week!
what in the world?
If you come across an irritating job posting, email it to the newsletter or DM me on Instagram and I’ll add it to the list to post!
Today's issue is also brought to you by SelectSoftware Reviews! C’mon give it a click…support the sponsors supporting your favorite job search newsletter 🙂
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“How do I narrow my job search when I’m qualified for a lot of different things?”
Check out the Premium Section below for my answer! Not a Premium Subscriber? Upgrade here: www.JobseekingIsHard.com/upgrade
Why upgrade? For less than $0.63/day, you get:
Extra Tips & Advice: Gain exclusive insights, strategies, and advice from a recruiter with over 20 years of experience in the field. Discover what hiring managers truly value and how to stand out at every step of your job search.
Access to Previous Issues: Explore a library of knowledge with all 100+ past issues of the newsletter. Each edition is packed with proven strategies, practical advice, and real-world jobseeking stories to give you an edge in today’s competitive job market. From resume tips to handling tough interview questions, you’ll find answers to every challenge.
Exclusive Q&A: Have questions about your job search? Premium subscribers can ask Adam directly! Questions will be featured in upcoming issues, with detailed answers tailored to real-world scenarios, ensuring you get the guidance you need.
Bonus Content: As part of your Premium subscription, you’ll receive 20 additional job search tips delivered to your inbox over the next 20 days. This includes advice on avoiding common mistakes and maximizing your job search strategy to land interviews faster.
Jobseekers, have a great rest of your week, and good luck with those applications!
-Adam
PS!! If you're enjoying the newsletter, let people know! Forward it, post it on social, tag me, whatever...the bigger the discussion, the better! The idea is to help as many people as possible!
About Adam- Recognized as a leading voice on hiring and workplace trends, Adam has been recruiting and providing career advice since 2003, developing high-trust relationships based on honesty with companies and jobseekers. A highly sought-after speaker, he has appeared in numerous outlets, including Bloomberg News, Business Insider, LinkedIn, and CNNMoney. You can find out more about Adam's resume and coaching services here.
AFFILIATES
NOTE: As an affiliate to these services, we will receive compensation if you purchase products or services through the links provided.
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A subscription gets you:
- • Extra Tips & Advice: Gain exclusive insights, strategies, and advice from a recruiter with over 20 years of experience in the field. Discover what hiring managers truly value and how to stand out at every step of your job search.
- • Access to Previous Issues: Explore a library of knowledge with all 100+ past issues of the newsletter. Each edition is packed with proven strategies, practical advice, and real-world jobseeking stories to give you an edge in today’s competitive job market. From resume tips to handling tough interview questions, you’ll find answers to every challenge.
- • Exclusive Q&A: Have questions about your job search? Premium subscribers can ask Adam directly! Questions will be featured in upcoming issues, with detailed answers tailored to real-world scenarios, ensuring you get the guidance you need.
- • Bonus Content: As part of your Premium subscription, you’ll receive 20 additional job search tips delivered to your inbox over the next 20 days. This includes advice on avoiding common mistakes and maximizing your job search strategy to land interviews faster.
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